The Solarno music project from Jim Furey explores ideas of science, technology, and history through the medium of electronic music and digital production to achieve his vision of “creating aural beauty one byte at a time.”
Fusing the simplistic nature of early 8-bit music, today’s powerhouse digital synth wonders, and a background in classical and jazz performance, Solarno, a Los Angeles based producer, conjures up the joy of danceable electronica with the depth and richness of a Hollywood movie score. Every song by Solarno has a story behind it, and the goal is to create an experience and atmosphere of exploration, not just of the music itself, but also the inspiration behind it.
Solarno started like so many with a Commodore-64 in 1986 in the sleepy Los Angeles suburb of Simi Valley. He spent countless hours writing both original pieces and covers in an attempt to replicate the songs he loved as a teenager. Genesis, Pet Shop Boys, Michael Jackson, and many others all received the 8-bit treatment during the late 80’s. The early 90’s saw Solarno further expand his style as he incorporated the disparate influences of the Madchester sound of England, the techno styles of Detroit, and the rave scene of Los Angeles. By this time Solarno was fully engulfed in the computer as a musical instrument and samples and emulated synths were his axes of choice. The 2000’s were a time of refinement for what would become the signature Solarno sound, that of simple, accessible electronic melodies over alternating dance hooks and rich cinematic textures. Orbital, The Shamen, and Kraftwerk all rank high on the list of influences that went into the development of his style.
Fall 2008 saw Solarno’s first commercial release Remotely Programmed Moonshot, an album influenced by the US/Soviet space race of the 1960’s.
Fall 2010 saw the release of Robot Junkyard, and experiment in simplicity where Solarno limited himself to just one synth for the entire album. This was followed in the summer of 2011 with the bombastic Robot Junkyard - Derivative, and dance inspired re-imagining of Robot Junkyard where the gloves were removed and anything went. The results are a varied tapestry of sound with each track a powerful reinterpretation of the original.
Currently Solarno is working on a multi release project that explores the nature, science, and history of color. The first two EPs, Kyanos and Rauthaz were released in October 2011 and February 2012 respectively.